Scaffold board and ladder



May 24, 1938. c. ALBER SCAFFOLD BOARD AND'LADDER Filed Sept. 11, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 1' C WZ 112.622

C. ALBER S CAFFOLD BOARD AND LADDER May 23, 1938.

Filed se tl 11, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 24, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

This invention relates to a combined ladder and scaffold designed primarily for use by fruit pickers.

An important object of the invention is to provide an attachment for use with step-ladders, whereby a ladder may be used as a support for a scaffold board on which fruit pickers may stand while picking fruit from trees.

Another object of the invention is to provide an adjustable arm mounted on the scaffold board and adapted to rest on a limb of a tree adjacent to the trunk of the tree, supporting one end of the scaffold board, the arm being adjustable so that the ladder and scaffold board may be positioned for use at various distances from the trunk of the tree with which the device is used.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, may be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a scaffold constructed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a bottom plan view of the scaffold board.

Figure 3 is a sectional view through one end of the scaffold board and rod which pivotally supports the scaffold board.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken through the center of the scaffold board.

Figure 5 is a side elevational view illustrating the scaffold board as moved to a position to provide a ladder prop.

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken on line 66 of Figure 5.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the reference character 5 designates a ladder having rungs 6, the ladder constituting a support for one end of the scaffold board I. This scaffold board is braced throughout its length, by means of the truss rods 8, that are secured to the lower side of the scaffold board, as clearly shown by Figure 2 of the drawings.

Inverted U bolts 9 are secured at one end of the scaffold board, and embrace portions of the ladder rung, to which the scaffold board is secured, thereby pivotally connecting one end of the scaffold board to the ladder.

The reference character l0 designates a supporting arm which is adjustably connected with the scaffold board 1, by means of the bolts II and inverted U bolts 12, so that the supporting arm It) may be readily and easily adjusted with respect to the scaffold board. In use, this supporting arm I0 is adapted to rest on a limb of a tree adjacent to the trunk of the tree, as shown by Figure 1 of the drawings, to the end that the Scaffold board I is held in a horizontal position. In order that the supporting arm will be braced against slipping with respect to the limb of the tree supporting the arm, an enlargement i3 is provided on the lower surface of the arm [0, providing a stop.

Secured to the lower surface of the scaffold board 1, is a plate 14 which has laterally extended ears I5 formed with openings. One of these ears provides means to which one end of the rope I6 is secured, the opposite end of the rope being looped around one of the ladder rungs, to secure the lower end of the ladder against outward movement.

The opposite ear of the plate l4 provides means to which one end of the positioning pole I1 is connected, and it will be seen that with the use of this pole, the scaffold board may be elevated to its proper supporting position.

As shown by Figure 5 of the drawings, the scaffold board 1 is used in connection with a stepladder, and in this form of the invention, a rod I8 is secured to the side rails of the ladder connecting the side rails at points between adjacent steps of the ladder. The scaffold board, which is indicated by the reference character I9 is provided with a bar 20 at one end thereof the bar being formed with an opening to accommodate the rod l8.

The rope 2|, which is connected with the scaffold board, through the medium of the plate 22, extends through an opening in one of the steps of the ladder, where it is tied into a knot as indicated at 23, to prevent the rope from slipping through the opening of the step, after the rope has been properly adjusted.

In view of the fact that the supporting arm is adjustable, it will be obvious that the supporting arm and scaffold board may be readily employed as a prop, when it is desired to pick fruit from the steps of the ladder.

From the foregoing it will be seen that due to the construction shown and described, a person using the device may, by extending the scaffold board to a position as shown by Figure 1 of the drawings, provide a platform on which to stand when picking fruit from trees, eliminating the necessity of changing the position of the device in order to pick fruit in a certain area.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

A fruit pickers scaiiold for use with a ladder, comprising a platform, means for pivotally connecting one end of the platform to a rung of the ladder, a supporting arm adjustably connected with the platform, a positioning pole pivotally connected to the platform whereby the platform may be swung to its supporting position, and a flexible connecting member connected with the platform and adapted to be secured to a rung of the ladder maintaining the angular position of the ladder and platform.

CARL ALBER. 

